Narconon Trois Rivieres continues to face ill- informed, if not intentionally misleading criticism about its use of  approved niacin supplements to support NarcononTR drug free alcohol and drug addiction recovery programs. Niacin supplements, as used by NarcononTR, are approved by the Food & Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine  (FNB).

 In deconstructing the myth it is necessary to understand certain facts. In healthy people niacin is sourced from food and tryptophan, which naturally occurs in food, can be converted to whatever level of niacin the body needs to regulate many functions, including fat distribution (adipose tissue and cholesterol). People ravaged by alcohol and drug addiction, with diarrhea or cirrhosis, are often niacin deficient, needing supplements to get functional levels of niacin into their body. Niacin performs other regulatory functions such as DNA recovery and promotion of steroid production in the adrenal glands, together with lipid (fat) regulation.

Niacin is often used interchangeably to describe other elements of the B3 vitamin group, particularly nicotinamide, Nicotinamide is separate from and has different functions to niacin.

 Poor definition of the term niacin by pharmaceutical suppliers has caused people to become confused.

 Niacin is FNB approved as safe in doses ranging from 35Mg up to around 5 grams.(5,000mg). A gram of niacin (1,000mg) is an intermediate therapeutic dose. Above 35mg, niacin can cause “flushing”. Flushing is a result of histamine release, is benign, not harmful although an embarrassment and a nuisance – the skin on the face, the hands, and sometimes the feet goes red, itchy and feels uncomfortable. This is not caused by or related to liver toxicity. Other minor symptoms headaches, nausea or diarrhea can occur.

 In homeopathic terms, this inconvenient flushing and other “symptoms” are only indications that recovery and healing is taking place. Nevertheless, if people feel distressed, the dose of niacin can be lowered.

 While the dose of niacin can be modified to reduce the incidence of flushing, it can safely be used in high doses to promote healing of addiction in a monitored drug addiction recovery program. Niacin helps by increasing good cholesterol (HDL) and reducing bad cholesterol (LDL), and helps to disperse bad adipose deposits (white fat), promoting good adipose deposits (brown fat) in the body. Niacin can help to remove insecticide residues in the body.

 Niacin is not heptatoxic at therapeutic doses. If high doses of niacin are used in the context of adequate vitamin intake, these other vitamins also help to regulate niacin function. Using high dosage niacin supplements in the context of a monitored holistic drug addiction recovery program is safe. In the case of diabetics, monitoring is important – blood sugar levels will increase at the commencement of niacin treatment and then stabilize at a lower level in the longer term.

 NarcononTR programs use niacin supplements to support drug addiction recovery in the acute phase. There is on the market a slow release form of B3 vitamin, under the name of niacin. What is sold as slow release niacin, contains nicotinamide which doesn’t lower cholesterol, doesn’t bring on flushing.

 Safe doses of nicotinamide are about half of the safe dose for niacin. Too much nicotinamide causes complications for diabetics, muscle wasting (rhabdomyolysis) and eventual liver damage.

Nicotinamide (sold as slow release niacin) does not assist cholesterol balance and should not be used for that purpose.

 Members of the public who use niacin supplements to eliminate harmful fats, not liking symptoms of flushing, are offered slow release niacin (really nicotinamide) by pharmacists. Whereas niacin can safely be used in high doses, nicotinamide can be toxic with doses as low as 3mg. Nicotinamide does not regulate cholesterol, and is toxic at low doses. It is dangerous for drug companies and pharmacists to market nicotinamide as niacin, and for people to use it as a substitute for niacin, which it seems, they do.

NarcononTR has been wrongly criticized as being involved in this problem. Clearly, some people have a need to make NarcononTR a “scapegoat” for an issue that has nothing to do with NarcononTR and it’s responsible use of therapeutic niacin supplements in holistic drug addiction recovery programs.

Genuine niacin supplements, as used by NarcononTR support addiction recovery, provide many health benefits including reduction of harmful fats and residues in the body, without toxic side effects.